This is another of the misguided beliefs that many of us consider being gospel when it comes to improving the sound and image quality of our gaming console, home theatre, DVR or the Blu-Ray player of our TV set. The truth is that the difference between an HDMI cable bought on Amazon Spain for less than 4 euros and one costing 1,200 euros purchased from a specialist site depends on the profit margin of each manufacturer and not so much on the construction quality of the cable. Buying HDMI cables used to be simple: you pick one from the few choices on the store's shelves. However, the misinformation surrounding this technology made choosing an HDMI cord more complicated.
Here are some of the myths:
Premium HDMI cables work well regardless of distance: Most premium packages show features that highlight how well they work in longer lengths. Regardless of the materials used, all copper cables are less reliable as the distance increases, it's how physics works.
The higher the cost, the better the picture and audio quality: Manufacturers who had their products certified have to make their cables more expensive to cover the cost. However, certification applies to specific cable lengths only. They may receive it for a two-meter HDMI, but not for longer ones.
Cheap cables offer poor quality: Cheaper HDMI cables can work as well as premium ones in some circumstances.
Premium HDMI cables can boost your quality: You can't push the picture quality beyond the connected devices' capabilities.
With the myths now debunked, it's time to know the truth. Can a very expensive HDMI cable show a better picture and sound quality than a cheaper one?
The quick answer is no.
An HDMI cable, regardless of the materials used, can either transmit a signal or not – there's no in-between. An expensive HDMI doesn't produce richer colours or crisper sound than cheaper versions. However, an HDMI cable made with better materials can be more durable and support higher bandwidth at longer distances, but it won't offer any difference with the picture quality.
Other benefits for higher-priced HDMI cables different can be:
Better connectors
More flexible materials
Lower chance of failure or defects
Look and feel of the cable
Confidence that they will support the advertised bandwidth
In the end, while both cheap and costly HDMI cables offer the same audio and video quality, a pricier one can provide more durability and reliability. When choosing HDMI cables, it all boils down to how much bandwidth your equipment requires for the resolution you need to send, and how long you need the cable to be. We highly recommend taking the time to research how much bandwidth your equipment is capable of and getting a cable to match. For distances longer than the specified HDMI specs for copper cables, we recommend Fiber Optic Cables like the Light-Link 4k HDMI 2.0 cables which support 4k resolutions up to 300 ft. or if you need 8k, the Light-Link 8k HDMI 2.1 Cables can support 8k up to 100 ft. It has been proven that the extra performance provided by the top-of-the-range HDMI cables with all their additional screening and gold-plated connections is both marginal and imperceptible in comparison with their generic counterparts. The quality of the cable can affect the quality, but probably not in the way you mean. Because HDMI is digital, you either get a usable signal or you don’t; unlike analogue which degrades gradually, digital gives you perfect reproduction or nothing at all. Therefore, image quality does not lie in the cable but in the player itself.
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DISCLAIMER
The information is provided by Tecquisition for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal advice. If you have any feedback, comments, requests for technical support or other inquiries, please mail us by tecqusition@gmail.com.
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